Thermal fuel expansion unit



R. GOLDBERG THERMAL FUEL EXPANSION UNIT Aug. 8, 1950 2- Sheets-Sheet l Filed July 8, 1946 RALPH GOLDBERG I A g- 8, 1950 R. GOLDBERG 0 THERMAL FUEL EXPANSION UNIT Filed July 8, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 4 $N l r X I I r 9 1 "fi M n ii O o o L] L v v I g I 0: l IIIIN,

' l v V v t m RALPH GOLDBERG Patented Aug. 8, 1950 2,518,305 THERMAL F EL EXPANSION UNIT Ralph Goldberg, Baltimore, Md., assignor of onethird to Joseph H. Colvin, Baltimore, Md.

Application July 8, 1946, Serial No. 682,022

1 Claim. (Cl. 123-122) This invention relates to improvements in thermal fuel expansion units.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved thermal fuel expansion unit for positioning upon an internal combustion engine to be connected between the carburetor and the intake manifold of the engine, and to be provided with a plurality of longitudinally arranged tubes extending through the unit andconnected to bypass the heated exhaust gases therethrough'to heat and expand the fuel charge immediately before it enters the intake manifold and engine cylinders to be ignited and exploded therein.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved thermal fuel expansion unit for internal combustion engines which will be disposed between the carburetor and the intake manifold of the engine, and to include a plurality of longitudinally extending tubes extending through the unit to be connected in the water cooling circuit for the engine, whereby the fuel charge from the carburetor will be heated and expanded prior to entering the intake manifold of the engine.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved thermal fuel expansion unit for an internal combustion engine which will be disposed between the carburetor and the intake manifold of the engine, and having means connectible with either the exhaust manifold or the water cooling system for preheating the fuel charge from the carburetor prior to its entering the intake manifold, said unit being highly efficient in operation, and relatively inexpensive to manufacture and produce.

Other objects will appear as the description proceeds.

In the accompanying drawings which form a part of this application, 7

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the improved unit shown connected with the exhaust manifold of an internal combustion engine and partly broken away to show the interior mechanism thereof;

Figure 2 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 2--2 of Figure 1, and

Figure 3 is a side elevatio of an internal combustion engine, showing the improved unit in section and connected with the water cooling system of the engine.

Like characters of reference are used throughout the following specification and the accompanying drawings to designate corresponding parts.

In carrying out the invention, there is provided an internal combustion engine generally denoted by the reference numeral I having a carburetor 2, an intake manifold 3, and an exhaust manifold 4.

The mechanisms illustrated in Figures 1 and 3 show similarly constructed thermal fuel expansion units, the only difference being that in Figure 1 the unit is connected with the exhaust manifold of the engine, whereas in Figure 3 the unit is connected with the engine water cooling system.

By referring to Figure l of the drawings, it will be seen that the unit includes an elongated tubular body 5 having depending branches 6 and 'l spaced from each other and formed with the flanges 8 and 9 which will seat on similarly shaped flanges l0 and I l on the intake manifold 3, and will be held in fixed position thereon by means of the bolts I2. The opposite ends of the tubular unit body 5 will be restricted and will support the four longitudinally extending tubes I 3 through which the exhaust gases will pass.

Secured to one end ofthe body 5 at the restricted portion is a pipe it which communciates with the inner longitudinal tubes !3. The other end of the pipe I6 is suitably connected to and communicates with the exhaust manifold 4. In the restricted portion of the body 5 between the pipe [6 and the longitudinal tubes I3 is a thermostat l4 which is pivotally connected by a link [1 to a valve in the exhaust manifold adjacent the pipe l6 which cooperates with seats I8 carried by the exhaust manifold. Thus, when hot exhaust gases pass from the pipe 16 to the tubes l3, the thermostat M will be actuated in such manner that the valve in the exhaust manifold will be urged toward the seats I8, closing off the supply of exhaust gas. As the body 5 and the motor cool, the thermostat M will actuate the link II to cause the valve to move away from the seat l8, allowing hot exhaust gases to pass through the pipe l6 and eventually through the tubes l3.

In the restricted portion of the body 5 and at the end opposite the thermostat l4 another thermostat I5 is provided which is operatively and pivotally connected to the throttle and the choke by means of links l9 and 20 respectively. Thus, when the hot exhaust gases leave the body 5 through the pipes l3, the thermostat l5 will actuate the link 20 opening the choke to allow a leaner gas-air mixture to enter the body 5. When the body 5 and motor cool off, the thermostat l5 will actuate link 20 to close the choke and allow the entry of a richer gas-air mixture.

In conventional automotive vehicles, the throttie is spring urged into a closed position. Upon starting the vehicle and when it is cold, the thermostat is actuated so that the links l9 and 20 and the arm connecting the link 20 to the thermostat I are in their extreme clockwise position or to the right of Figure 1. It will be noted that there is a pin carried by the arm connecting to the link 20 whichllextends througl'rj"theslot-lat= 1: the end of-the"1i'nk"l9." When the extremeclockwise position is obtained, this pin engages the extreme end of the slot and keeps the throttle cracked in an open position againstithe actioni. of the spring and also maintains the choke in a closed position. Thus when -themotor isi coldg a rich fuel-air mixture is entering the motor' through the carburetor while sthe,--wthrottle= is; cracked so that the motor will race.

As the motor warms up the exhaust gaseswpass ing through the tubes i3 will actuate the thermostat? l 5 in: such a manner that thetarrnitconneotedc'x to othewlink 2i! Twill :movezin a counterclockwise direction and the :chokersplate -'t-w"l :slowly-sopena to allow a leaner mixture of fuel-iairito'ienterzthea..

direct connection of the link 2 ll .to't-he thermostat i viaw'thezarm, othe opening. Ol'l tilting of; the choke plate= will besigr-laduala and'iwillidpenct "upon the extent tOxWhiChL T the 11101101 1: iswarmed up. On;

it is unnecessary for the motor to race and-safer? the throttle i. to; :remain::; an :open: position Therefore; as: the :arm connecting thezthermostat I 5::tol the .=:link.-2il' is. moved .insa countercloclcwise2c same manner as the thermostat l5 described hereinabove relative to Figure 1.

The action is that of a heat exchange principle whereby the heated exhausted gases or the heated water in the water cooling system will be passed through the tubes extending through the unit, whereby the fuel charge passing over the surfaces of the heated tubes will be heated and expanoltvtdprovide a more? efiici'eiit 'operation of-theengine. I

From the foregoing description, it will be apparent that there has been devised a highly efficient. andleconomical form of thermal fuel expansion unit'which will be used in connection 15'.=with:aneinternal combustion engine, to be connected either with' the exhaust manifold thereof, .oriw-ith thewwater cooling system, whereby the fuel charges passing from the carburetor to the intake manifold of the engine will be heated and expanded to provide more perfect combustion andrbettemoperation of theaenginezm While the preferredicembodimenta ofuthe-.-in-.-

stant invention; hasnbeen illustrated i; and: de-

scribed, ,=it. willubenunderstoodzithattit is not-:in-,1:- motor through the carburetor; Bcau'seof t e iitended=to-limit:thewscopeaofithe-inventionthere-s1- to,.=as :manyminor changes'rinadetaih -of :constructionrmayrberresorted to. without departurevfroms;

theispiritl o-fsthe invention:

Having thusndescribedn my; invention what -I the other hand, Whemtheemoto-r .isswarmingrup; nclaimas new: anddesirevtoasecure by -LetterscPate.

entofl-theUnited Statesdsr.

In: -:oombinationn,wit-h an; internal combustion-w;

direction' thezpin carriedby thea-armzabecom'es --="jacket; i m pre ea e-r t rp s d-b disengaged frormthe right-.iend of the'islomandsw th'eespring; associated with. the: throttle quickly. and: rapidly -pulls' :the throttle closed immediately evenrthoughz'thedink' :2 0 :and .the arm themselves;

are moving at aa'slowerf. rate: counterclockwiseztozr 4 ;;cooling' jacket; a-= therm=ostatin; said-outlet? cone open (the choke aplate i gradually? In Fig'ure 3 ofrtherdrawings;thezsame formtiof..l unitaz'5 us-L employed :having :the s ame connections to-theiintakermanifold' 3 of; the engine all .as willus-l tween the eloarbunetor aandsthermanifoldo a :p1u-: ralityy-of :tubessdisposed-Jinwthe spne-heater *fom: conveyingr water a-therethrougm inlettandaoutlets;

conduitsrtsconnecting j saidwstubes a to: the %.water-" dllii'if, and means: operatively5 connecting vsaidv.

thenrnostateto' :the 1 :.choke-;valve;.--.for nopening; them:

ohoke va-lve -as :the engineawarmsmpl:

RALPH GOLDBERG:

tratedz andQdescribedsin .L-COIIIIBCtiDn :with. Figure 1. The-inlet connectionlEl' for. thezunit :15Lwill: bee. located-J centrallyzof the zunit iand lwilli'supportthe 1 carburzetorx-LZ as clearly illustratedi. Similarly? formed ;tubes* watericooling'rsystem :of theeengine; A coupling: 22 will .be connected at: the 'reariendrofrth'e units; 5 atoxthevwaterijacket in: the cylinder ahead: 23,.1

whilelthethermostatffl.lwill be connected-1 at'thea ll.

forwardrend of-theunit 5t0 berconnectedthrough, -2 2,139,356

th'e'z-hose; 25-itoe the radiator-z (not; shown). t Thee. thermos-tat 24;?is lpivotallyyand zoperatively con-l nected to: the ch'okexand throttleabwmeans-sof-1:: links 26 and 2?. respectivelyn The thermostat "2 3 and associatedrlinks- 26 "o and :2 7 operate .in' the; am

i3v: will... extendi longitudinally through theunit 15,2;ar1dawill be connected Ltd :the 3:10

REFERENCES-s CITED f The-following: references are 'ofi record in the-+1;

file ofi thisrpatentz UNITED STATES"PATENTST.

(Addition to No; 68516811)"; 

